Almost All GOP Candidates Say They Would Back Trump If He’s Convicted

Republican presidential candidates (L-R), former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Vivek Ramaswamy, former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, U.S. Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and North Dakota governor Doug Burgum, are introduced during the first debate of the GOP primary season hosted by FOX News at the Fiserv Forum on August 23, 2023, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images

Former U.S. Ambassador to the UN and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis raised their hands when asked if they would vote for former President Donald Trump were he to be convicted.

It was a notable moment during the Aug. 23 GOP presidential primary debate, moderated by Fox News anchors Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum, at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

President Trump has been indicted in Manhattan allegedly for committing a campaign finance violation by giving hush money to adult film star Stormy Daniels; separately, on the federal level, for allegedly mishandling documents and trying to overturn the 2020 election; and in Fulton County, Georgia, for allegedly trying to overturn the 2020 election in the Peach State. He has pleaded not guilty in the first three cases and is scheduled to surrender at the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta on Aug. 24 in the fourth case, though his arraignment will be at a later date.